Try Capoeira…

With the influx of cultures to London one significant, but perhaps less prominent, addition is that of the Brazilians who come to London though I can’t always see what the appeal of our grey metropolis has over the sandy beaches and tanned bodies of Brazil. One manifestation of this is the challenging Brazilian sport of Capoeira which could be best described as an acrobatic fight so if you’ve spent your life thinking that Jackie Chan has all the best moves then you need to see the Capoeristas in action. As a sport it’s very relaxed, being played to traditional Brazilian berimbau music, and is played with the same flair as their football is best known for with cartwheels, somersaults and assorted acrobatic movements.

Capoeira is predominantly a non-contact sport but each school has a grading, or batizado, each year where the students play against the Mestres (masters) and the object of the exercise is for the student to demonstrate his skills and ultimately for one to put the other on the floor. These batizados occur a different times of year for the many different schools across London and are usually followed by some kind of party so are very much a social event with lots of fun to be had and reflect on the relaxed side of Brazilian life, though the sport itself has its roots in slavery several hundred years ago.

Anyway, on Saturday I was at the batizado of the ACER Capoeira school in Kingston and there was the usual mix of students from small children to adults with everyone keen to show of their stuff and I’ve got a video for you as a taster which starts with Mestre Celso, one of the oldest practicing Mestres, showing everyone what he expects then the action starts and for a finale one of the teachers seems to take offence to one of the students responses to a kick in the chest…

It’s a lot of fun and is one heck of a workout so if you’re looking for a martial art that’s fun and different then give one of the classes below a try and if you’re looking for some fit, toned and tanned bodies to party with check out when there’s a batizado on. Me? I got my corda verde (green belt) last year.

ACER Capoeira – Associação de Capoeira Engenho da Rainha
South London & Surrey
http://www.acer-uk.com

CDOL – Cordão de Ouro London
Classes across London from Whitechapel to Fulham Broadway
http://www.cdol.co.uk

Axe Capoeira
South and South-West London and Surrey
http://www.axecapoeirauk.com/

Capoeira Palmares
London City and Surrey
http://www.capoeirapalmares.co.uk/

Search Google for Capoeira in London
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=capoeira+london&meta=&aq=f&oq=